Folding frame particularly for strollers, prams or the like

ABSTRACT

A folding frame particularly for strollers, prams and the like, comprising a supporting framework which has two side members which are interconnected by an articulated structure, each side member having a rear upright and a front upright which are articulated one another about an articulation assembly and are associated in a downward region respectively with a front wheel assembly and a rear wheel assembly, the side members having a respective handle tube which can move with a rotary and translational motion with respect to the respective front upright, the handle tubes having a portion which is arranged at least partially laterally adjacent to a portion of the respective front upright.

The present invention relates to a folding frame particularly forstrollers, prams or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As is known, frames for strollers and prams are currently widely usedwhich can be folded so as to be able to pass from an extended (or open)condition, used to carry the child, to a collapsed (or closed)condition, in which the frame occupies less space and accordingly iseasier to transport.

The most widely used folding frames include those commonly known as“umbrella-folding” due to the particular way in which they close.

Such frames for strollers or prams in fact fold both transversely andlongitudinally (therefore along three dimensions) until they assume, inthe collapsed condition, a shape which can be likened to the shape of aclosed umbrella.

There are also frames which can fold with a so-called “flat-folding”closure and fold only longitudinally (along two dimensions).

In greater detail, a folding frame is constituted by a supportingframework which comprises two lateral side members, each of which isconstituted by at least two uprights (front and rear ones), whichsupport rotatably a wheel or a wheel assembly; the front uprights arefurther associated with a respective handle tube which supports, at oneof its ends, a handgrip (or handle).

The front uprights and the rear uprights are articulated one another inorder to allow the transition of the frame, as mentioned earlier, fromthe extended condition to the collapsed condition.

Usually, the handle tubes of one side member are connected to the rearuprights of the other side member by means of a crosspiece (commonlyknown as lower crosspiece) which, during use, is arranged below thestructure adapted to accommodate the child to be carried.

As regards in particular umbrella-folding frames, the supportingframework has, between the two rear uprights, two pivoted parallelogramswhich are designed to allow the mutual approach and spacing, in aparallel manner, of the side members during transition from the extendedcondition to the collapsed condition and vice versa.

The folding frames, and particularly umbrella-folding ones, are veryconvenient to use, since they ensure a quick possibility to pass fromthe collapsed condition to the extended condition and vice versa andmoreover occupy an extremely limited amount of space in the collapsedcondition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to provide a folding frame forstrollers, prams and the like which is easy to use and offers thegreatest assurances of reliability and safety in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding frame which hashigh constructive simplicity and a low production cost, so as to makeits use advantageous also from an economical standpoint.

This aim and these and other objects, which will become better apparenthereinafter, are achieved by a folding frame, particularly forstrollers, prams and the like, according to what is stated in theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages will become better apparent fromthe description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of thefolding frame according to the invention, illustrated by way ofnon-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a frame for strollers or the like inthe extended condition;

FIG. 2 is a view, similar to FIG. 1, but with the frame in an positionwhich is intermediate between the extended condition and the collapsedcondition;

FIG. 3 is a sectional perspective view of a portion of a front uprightarranged laterally adjacent to a respective handle tube;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the detail shown in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional views, similar to FIG. 4, of constructivevariations thereof related to the shape of the front upright and of thecorresponding handle tube;

FIG. 7 is a partially sectional top view, taken along a longitudinalplane, of a portion of the front upright and of the handle tube,arranged at the articulation assembly;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are enlarged-scale side elevation views of a portion ofthe frame at the articulation assembly, respectively in the intermediateposition between the extended condition and the collapsed condition, andin the extended condition;

FIG. 10 is a partially exploded perspective view of the frame at thearticulation assembly, in which the handle tube has been omitted for thesake of greater clarity;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a portion of the rear uprights of aframe for strollers or the like;

FIG. 12 is another perspective view of a portion of the rear uprights ofa frame for strollers or the like;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged-scale perspective view of a portion of a rearupright at the region for interconnection with the double-parallelogramstructure;

FIG. 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rear upright, taken atthe region for interconnection to the double-parallelogram structure;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view similar to those of FIGS. 4-6.

In the exemplary embodiments that follow, individual characteristics,given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchangedwith other different characteristics that exist in other exemplaryembodiments.

Moreover, it is noted that anything found to be already known during thepatenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subjectof a disclaimer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the figures, a folding frame, particularly forstrollers, prams and the like, generally designated by the referencenumeral 1, comprises a supporting framework 2 which has two side members3.

The two side members 3 are interconnected by an articulated structureand each has a rear upright 4 b and a front upright 4 a.

The front uprights 4 a and the rear uprights 4 b are articulated oneanother (for example about an articulation assembly 4 c) and areassociated in a downward region respectively with a front wheel assembly5 a and a rear wheel assembly 5 b.

In particular, each of the two side members 3 comprises a handle tube 4e, which, as explained in greater detail hereinafter, during transitionfrom the open condition to the closed condition can move with a rotaryand translational motion with respect to the respective front upright 4a.

Conveniently, in order to ensure a correct trajectory of the handle tube4 e with respect to the respective front upright 4 a, there is a guidingrod 4 d, which is connected rotatably to a respective articulationportion arranged substantially at the lower end portion of the handletube 4 e and of the front upright 4 a.

In particular, as mentioned, the supporting framework 2 (and the foldingframe 1 with it) is adapted to pass from an extended or open condition(shown in FIG. 1) to a collapsed or closed condition (shown in FIG. 2)and vice versa.

According to the present invention, the handle tube 4 e has a portionwhich is arranged at least partially laterally adjacent to a portion ofthe front upright 4 a.

In particular, it is evident that the mutually facing portions are, asregards the handle tube 4 e, the end portion that lies opposite thehandgrip 4 f, and as regards the front upright, the end portion thatlies opposite the one that supports the wheel assembly 5 a.

It is evident that this solution allows to limit significantly thevertical space occupation of the assembly constituted by the frontupright 4 a and the handle tube 4 e.

In conventional frames, the front uprights and the respective handletubes are instead mutually superimposed, with an evident greater spaceoccupation along the vertical direction.

Conveniently, as shown in the sectional views of FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 15and in the perspective view of FIG. 3, at least at the portions designedto be arranged side-by-side, the handle tube 4 e and the front upright 4a both have a transverse cross-section which has a facing surface 7 aand 7 b and a blending surface 8 a and 8 b.

In particular, the facing surfaces 7 a, 7 b of each assembly constitutedby a front upright 4 a and a handle tube 4 e are designed to be arrangedmutually side by side, while the respective blending surfaces 8 a, 8 bare designed to cooperate with each other in order to provide, duringmating, a substantially cylindrical and/or tubular structure.

It is evident that this feature can be used both in frames withumbrella-folding closure (of the type shown in the figures) and inframes with so-called flat-folding closure.

The facing surfaces 7 a and 7 b may have various configurations and, inparticular, may be monoplanar surfaces (as in the embodimentsillustrated in FIGS. 4 and 15) or can be constituted by a plurality ofplanar surfaces, connected one another (as in the embodimentsillustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6).

According to a further aspect of the present invention, with particularreference to the cross-section shown in FIG. 4, it is possible toprovide spacer means 9 which act between the outer surface of the handletube 4 e and the articulation assembly 4 c and/or the front upright 4 a.

In practice, the spacer means 9, which for example can be constituted byone or more longitudinal ribs 9 a, allow to prevent the optionally flatouter surface of the handle tube 4 e from sliding with respect to thearticulation assembly 4 c or with respect to the surface of the frontupright 4 a which faces it, protecting the outer surface finish of thehandle tube 4 e.

As shown in the sectional view of FIG. 4, the longitudinal ribs 9 a canbe provided on the front upright 4 a; however, nothing prevents theprovision of the longitudinal ribs on the handle tube 4 e or, if thehandle tube 4 e can move with a rotary and translational motion withrespect to a guide carried by the articulation assembly 4 c, theirprovision on such guide.

As shown in the sectional views of FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 15 the facingsurfaces 7 a and 7 b can have different shapes, but generally it isconvenient for them to be mutually complementary, in order to ensuregreater compactness of the assembly constituted by the front upright 4 aand the handle tube 4 e.

Advantageously, the handle tube 4 e can be coupled slidingly to asliding seat 10, which is fitted so that it can oscillate, about a firstoscillation axis 100, on the frame 1.

In particular, the sliding seat 10 has a tubular element 10 a, which isconnected to a terminal 10 b which is rotatably coupled to thearticulation assembly 4 c or to the front upright 4 a.

With particular reference to the embodiment shown in the partiallysectional view of FIG. 5, the terminal 10 b is extended radially andmore generally at right angles with respect to the direction oflongitudinal extension 101 of the handle tube 4 e and at right angles tothe plane of arrangement of the side member 3.

In this regard, it has been found that, if the handle tube 4 e islaterally adjacent to the front upright 4 a, it is particularlyadvantageous for the terminal 10 b to be able to rotate within acylindrical seat 10 c which is formed substantially at the end portionof the front upright 4 a that lies opposite the wheel assembly 5 a,conveniently at a central portion thereof.

In practice, in this case the rotary and translational motion of thehandle tube 4 e with respect to the front upright 4 a (or with respectto the articulation assembly 4 c) is achieved by means of thecombination of a sliding movement of the handle tube 4 e within therespective tubular element 10 a and the simultaneous oscillation of thesliding seat 10 (which defines the cylindrical seat 10 c) about thefirst oscillation axis 100.

With particular reference to what is shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, thearticulation assembly 4 c comprises a lower body 11, which is pivoted tothe upper end of the rear upright 4 b and is stably associated, at anabutment region 12, with an end portion 13 of the front upright 4 awhich is arranged on the opposite side with respect to the wheelassembly 5 a.

Conveniently, the lower body 11 can be fixed at its abutment region 12to the respective end portion 13 for example by inserting a tubularinterconnection body 14, provided with threaded seats 15, within the endportion 13 and by subsequently mating screw elements 16 in therespective threaded seats 15 through openings 17 provided at theabutment region 12.

The tubular interconnection body 14 can be provided with a closure flap18, which is also designed to cooperate with the lower body 11 toprovide the articulation assembly 4 c.

The articulation assembly 4 c thus provided is far less bulky and at thesame time easy and straightforward to assemble.

Nothing prevents from using a glue to connect the abutment region 12 tothe end portion 13, there being a coupling surface that is sufficient toallow such type of connection.

In practice it has been found that the connection of the articulationassembly 4 c to the lower surface of the front upright, differently fromthe conventional male/female coupling, allows to limit the bulk and keepthe front upright and the respective handle tube effectively drawnclose.

Conveniently, in order to allow an easier transport, as shown in FIG.11, the frame 1 has rear uprights 4 b which are curved so that theirconcavity is directed advantageously toward the front uprights 4 a.

The two rear uprights 4 b are interconnected by means of adouble-parallelogram structure 70.

According to the invention, the rear uprights 4 b are associated with arespective complementary upright 71, to which the upper ends 70 a andthe lower ends 70 b of the double-parallelogram structure 70 arepivoted.

In particular, each of the complementary uprights 71 has two respectivepivoting regions, which lie on the same plane of arrangement which issubstantially perpendicular to the pivoting axes of the upper ends 70 aand of the lower ends 70 b of the double-parallelogram structure.

In practice, the plane of arrangement is substantially parallel to theplane within which the rods that provide the double-parallelogramstructure 70 move.

This solution allows to ensure simply and effectively correct operationof the double-parallelogram structure 70, allowing the rods that composeit to always move on their own plane of arrangement during thetransition of the frame 1 from the extended condition to the collapsedcondition and vice versa.

Therefore, the presence of the complementary uprights 71 allows on onehand to curve at will the rear uprights 4 b and on the other hand toavoid the need to act on the rear uprights 4 b with an excessive numberof holes which might compromise their aesthetic finish as well as theirstructural characteristics.

As an alternative, as shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, the upper ends 70 a andthe lower ends 70 b of the double-parallelogram structure 70 areassociated with the respective rear uprights 4 b (which in this casealso are curved so that their concavity is directed toward the frontuprights 4 a) by way of the interposition of respective spherical hinges72.

The solution proposed above substantially offers the same advantages aswhat was described earlier.

Operation of the folding frame according to the present invention can bededuced evidently from what has been described above.

All the features of the invention indicated above as advantageous,convenient or the like may also be omitted or be replaced withequivalents.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modificationsand variations, all of which are within the scope of the appendedclaims.

In practice it has been found that the invention has achieved itsintended aim and objects in all of its embodiments.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be anyaccording to requirements.

All the details may further be replaced with other technicallyequivalent elements.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. VR2007A000002 fromwhich this application claims priority are incorporated herein byreference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed byreference signs, those reference signs have been included for the solepurpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordinglysuch reference signs do not have any limiting effect on theinterpretation of each element identified by way of example by suchreference signs.

1-14. (canceled)
 15. A folding frame particularly for strollers, pramsand the like, comprising a supporting framework which has two sidemembers which are interconnected by an articulated structure, each sidemember having a rear upright and a front upright which are articulatedone another about an articulation assembly and are associated in adownward region respectively with a front wheel assembly and a rearwheel assembly, said side members having a respective handle tube whichcan move with a rotary and translational motion with respect to therespective front upright, characterized in that said handle tubes have aportion which is arranged at least partially laterally adjacent to aportion of the respective front upright.
 16. The folding frame accordingto claim 15, wherein said handle tube and said front upright have atransverse cross-section which respectively has a facing surface and ablending surface, the respective facing surfaces being designed to bearranged mutually side-by-side and the blending surfaces being designedto mutually cooperate in order to provide, during coupling, asubstantially cylindrical and/or tubular structure.
 17. The foldingframe according to claim 15, further comprising spacer means which actbetween the outer surface of said handle tubes and said articulationassembly and/or said front upright.
 18. The folding frame according toclaim 17, wherein said spacer means act between said facing surfaces ofsaid handle tube and of the respective front upright.
 19. The foldingframe according to claim 17, wherein said spacer means comprise at leastone longitudinal rib which protrudes from the facing surface of saidfront upright.
 20. The folding frame according to claim 17, wherein saidspacer means comprise at least one longitudinal rib which protrudes fromthe facing surface of said handle tube.
 21. The folding frame accordingto claim 17, wherein said handle tube is slidingly coupled to a slidingseat which is fitted so that it can oscillate on said frame about afirst oscillation axis.
 22. The folding frame according to claim 21,wherein said sliding seat has a tubular element which is connected to aterminal which is rotatably coupled to said articulation assembly or tosaid front upright.
 23. The folding frame according to claim 21, whereinsaid sliding seat has an oscillation axis which passes through thelongitudinal axis of the respective front upright.
 24. The folding frameaccording to claim 15, wherein said articulation assembly comprises alower body which is pivoted to the upper end of a respective rearupright and is stably associated, at an abutment region, with an endportion of said front upright which is arranged on the opposite sidewith respect to the wheel assembly.
 25. The folding frame according toclaim 24, wherein said abutment region is arranged below said endportion in order to keep free the lateral portions of said front uprightfree.
 26. The folding frame according to claim 15, further comprising atubular interconnection body which can be inserted within an end portionof said front upright, coupling means being provided which are adaptedto stably connect said tubular interconnection body to said lower body.27. The folding frame according to claim 15, wherein said rear uprightsare curved so that their concavity is directed toward said frontuprights and are interconnected by means of a double-parallelogramstructure, said rear uprights being associated with a respectivecomplementary upright, to which the upper and lower ends of saiddouble-parallelogram structure are pivoted.
 28. The folding frameaccording to claim 15, wherein said rear uprights are curved so thattheir concavity is directed toward said front uprights and areinterconnected by means of a double-parallelogram structure, the upperand lower ends of said double-parallelogram structure being associatedwith the respective rear uprights by way of the interposition ofrespective spherical hinges.